Spinning reel having an improved pinion gear support structure

ABSTRACT

A spinning reel has a handle, a drive gear interlocked to the handle and rotatable about an axis extending transversely of a reel body, and a transmission system for transmitting drive from the drive gear to a rotor through a pinion gear rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally of the reel body. An intermediate member is detachably mounted in the reel body for supporting the pinion gear in a plurality of positions spaced apart axially of the pinion gear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to spinning reels, and more particularly to animprovement in a structure for supporting a pinion gear of a spinningreel. This spinning reel has a transmission system for transmittingdrive from a drive gear rotatable about an axis extending transverselyof a reel body, through the pinion gear rotatable about an axisextending longitudinally of the reel body, to a rotor disposed in afront position of the reel body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

In a spinning reel having the above construction, the pinion gearusually is formed tubular, with a spool shaft extending through thepinion gear. Conventionally, the pinion gear is supported at anintermediate position thereof by the reel body through a ball bearing orthe like. The pinion gear is further supported at a rear end thereof bythe reel body through a bush or the like.

Desirably, the pinion gear is meshed with the drive gear with highprecision since otherwise a handle cannot be turned smoothly.

Conventional reel bodies are often formed by molding plastics such as ininjection molding. Such reel bodies may become deformed as a result ofcooling of the plastics at times of manufacture. With the deformation ofthe reel body, the supporting positions of the pinion gear may bedisplayed to lower the precision of meshing between the pinion gear anddrive gear.

Such deformation may occur also as a result of heating at a time ofpainting the reel body.

It is conceivable to adjust positions of the elements supporting thepinion gear after molding or painting of the reel body. However, it isdifficult to secure a high degree of axial precision in each of the twosupporting positions of the pinion gear noted above. Thus, there is roomfor improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved spinningreel capable of maintaining a desired axial precision of the pinion gearagainst deformation of the reel body occurring at a time of manufacture,to assure a smooth line winding operation.

The above object is fulfilled, according to the present invention, by aspinning reel having a transmission system for transmitting drive from adrive gear to a rotor through a pinion gear as noted in the outsethereof, wherein an intermediate member is detachably mounted in the reelbody for supporting the pinion gear in a plurality of positions spacedapart axially of the pinion gear.

This construction has the following functions and effects.

The above features may be arranged as shown in FIG. 1, for example. Foradjusting axial position of pinion gear 8 after manufacture of a reelbody 2, position of an intermediate member 14 may be adjusted relativeto the reel body 2. Consequently, a plurality of supporting positionsspaced apart axially of the pinion gear 8 are adjusted at the same time,thereby to maintain the support positions coaxial with each other.

According to the present invention, the pinion gear 8 is not supporteddirectly by the reel body 2, but is supported by the reel body 2 throughthe intermediate member 14 having pinion gear supporting portions. Thus,axial adjustment of the pinion gear 8 requires only adjustment of theintermediate member 14 relative to the reel body 2.

The present invention, therefore, provides an improved spinning reelcapable of maintaining a desired axial precision of the pinion gearagainst deformation of the reel body occurring at a time of manufacture,to assure a smooth line winding operation.

The present invention has a further advantage that, even when the piniongear is axially displaced after a long period of use, a proper conditionis restored by a relatively simple adjustment such as adjustment of ashim mounted in a flanged portion of the intermediate member.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of the embodiment of the invention taken withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an intermediate member,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the intermediate member,

FIG. 3 is a side view of a rotor,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an arm cam support structure, and

FIG. 5 is a side view in vertical section of a spinning reel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A spinning reel according to the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 5, this spinning reel includes a handle 1 attached to areel body 2, a rotor 4 carrying a bail 3 and mounted on a forwardportion of the reel body 2, and a spool 5 connected to the forwardportion of the reel body 2 for winding a fishing line (not shown). Thespinning reel further includes a drive system for transmitting drivefrom a handle shaft 6 connected to the handle 1, to the rotor 4 througha drive gear 7, a pinion gear 8 and a sleeve shaft 9, and an oscillatingmechanism having an input gear 10, a screw shaft 11 and a slider 12 forconverting drive from the pinion gear 8 into a reciprocal motion fortransmission to a spool shaft 13.

The pinion gear 8 is formed integral with the sleeve shaft 9, and issupported by the reel body 2 through an intermediate member 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate member 14 has a rear supportportion 14A for rotatably supporting a rear end of the pinion gear 8,and a front support portion 14B for supporting a forward end of thepinion gear 8 through a bearing 15. The intermediate member 14 is formedof a metallic material such as an aluminum alloy, and defines a flange14C secured to a forward surface of the reel body 2 through screws 16.The drive gear 7 and the input gear 10 of the oscillating mechanism aremeshed with the pinion gear 8 through openings 14D of the intermediatemember 14. The intermediate member 14 may be formed of various othermaterials than a metallic material such as an aluminum alloy.

With this reel, even if the reel body 2 becomes deformed at the time ofmanufacture, the intermediate member 14 is adjustable relative to thereel body 2. Consequently, the pinion gear 8 is positioned with adesired axial precision to be meshed with the drive gear 7 smoothly.

The intermediate member 14 has a rear end slightly spaced from anopening 2B defined in a frame 2A mounted inside the reel body 2. When astrong external force is applied, the intermediate member 14 contacts aninner wall of the opening 2B, so that the posture of the intermediatemember 14 will not vary to a great extent.

As shown in FIG. 5, the spool includes a drag mechanism having a dragknob 19 and a pressure plate 20 connected thereto for adjusting pressingforces of friction plates 17 and a washer 18 mounted inside the spool 5.Pins 20A and recesses 18A are arranged engageable with each otherbetween the washer 18 mounted on the spool shaft 13 not to be rotatablerelative thereto, and the pressure plate 20 rotatable relative to thedrag knob 19. When the drag mechanism is loosened to a predetermineddegree, the pins 20A and recesses 18A are disengaged under the biasingforce of a return spring S. As a result, the pressure plate 20 is notrotated, and a clicking mechanism 21 provided for producing intermittentsounds with rotation of the pressure plate 20 does not operate. Thus,the angler can ascertain a state of the drag mechanism from a state ofthe clicking mechanism 21.

The rotor 4 has a pair of arms 4A set to a position offset from an axisof rotation X as shown in FIG. 3, to provide a good weight balance ofthe rotor 4. When the rotor 4 is rotated to wind the fishing line, agood dynamic balance is assured to enable a smooth operation. As shownin FIG. 4, an arm cam 22 has a pivotal axis 23 supported in one of thearms 4A through an eccentric bush 24. The eccentric bush 24 may have avaried posture to vary position of the pivotal axis 23.

The foregoing embodiment may be modified such that the intermediatemember supports the pinion gear at three or more positions. Theintermediate member may be fixedly connected to an inner surface of thereel body.

What is claimed is:
 1. A spinning reel comprising:a reel body; a handle;a spool supported by said reel body; a rotor rotatably supported by saidreel body and adapted to wind a fishing line onto said spool in responseto rotation of said handle; a sleeve shaft integrally rotatable withsaid rotor; transmission means for transmitting rotation of said handleto said rotor, said transmission means including: a drive gear connectedto said handle; a pinion gear engaged with said drive gear to transmitrotation of said drive gear to said rotor, said pinion gear beingcoupled to said sleeve shaft; an intermediate member detachably coupledto said reel body to rotatably support said pinion gear, saidintermediate member including:(a) a front cylindrical portion having afront interior surface and a front exterior surface, said frontcylindrical portion rotatably supporting said pinion gear at a frontwardportion of said pinion gear through said front interior surface, saidfront cylindrical portion being supported by said reel body through saidfront exterior surface; (b) a rear cylindrical portion having a rearinterior surface and a rear exterior surface, said rear cylindricalportion rotatably supporting said pinion gear at a rearward portion ofsaid pinion gear through said rear interior surface, said rearcylindrical portion being positioned such that said reel body limitsradial displacement of said rear cylindrical portion through said rearexterior surface; (c) a connecting member to connect said frontcylindrical portion with said rear cylindrical portion, said connectingmember defining an opening to receive said drive gear.
 2. A spinningreel as in claim 1, wherein said intermediate member includes a flangeportion extending radially outwardly from a frontward portion of saidfront cylindrical portion, and said intermediate member is coupled tosaid reel body through said flange portion.
 3. A spinning reel as inclaim 1, wherein said pinion gear is integrally formed on said sleeveshaft.
 4. A spinning reel as in claim 1, wherein said front cylindricalportion supports said pinion gear through a bearing.
 5. A spinning reelas in claim 1, wherein said rear exterior surface of said rearcylindrical portion is positioned within said reel body so as to have asubstantially uniform distance between said rear exterior surface andsaid reel body in all radial directions.
 6. A spinning reel as in claim1, wherein said intermediate member has a substantially steppedconfiguration with decreasing diameters from said front cylindricalportion to said rear cylindrical portion to facilitate attachment ofsaid intermediate member to said reel body in an axial direction of saidintermediate member.